One of my earliest childhood memories would be creeping into Japps, behind whatever adult I was accompanying, a painfully shy child.

I was forever wowed by the perfectly put together, glamorous looking ladies with their wide smiles that were the ‘Japps girls,’ the iconic shop assistants at Japp’s pharmacy.

Japp’s pharmacy has been one of those constants in Hay life, something that we have always relied upon. And now, in 2023, they are celebrating their 90^th year of catering to the needs and taking care of Hay residents.

The content to create this article originated from a 12 page pull out published in the Riverine Grazier on Wednesday 12 October, 1983. It was to celebrate Japp’s Pharmacy’s 50 years of trading in Hay.

When the late Mr. Gibson Japp was negotiating to purchase the pharmacy from its founder, a Mr E.G. Clayton, it was described to Gibson as a ‘nice little business.’

When the business was first conducted by the late G.H. Japp, a business he bought for 1750 pounds, it was in competition with two other pharmacies.

In the intervening years, Mr Allan Japp trained as a pharmacist, joined his father in partnership, and after a time assumed sole proprietorship.

The other pharmacies in Hay have long since been bought out by the Japp family.

Post Office Pharmacy

Mr Clayton commenced the business in about 1929, at 105 Lachlan Street, and appropriately named it the Post Office Pharmacy, because of its opportune location.

In his negotiations with Mr Japp, letters from Mr Clayton announced that they business was turning over in the vicinity of 2000 pounds. It had been established in premises at the corner of Alma and Lachlan Streets, in a room that was partitioned off from a large area conducted as a saddlery by Charlie and Bill Brown.

At the time of Mr Japp’s purchase, the other pharmacies were Rogers and Glyde conducted by Mr Ralph Palmer, and that conducted by Hazel Crossley in the premises later occupied by John Clemence and Brian Tellefson and now owned by Japps, and affectionately referred to as the ‘top shop’, meaning at the top end of Lachlan Street.

Mr Clayton remained in business before he sought a new purchaser, with the view to making his home in Canberra.

At that time, Gibson H. Japp was working in Albury after qualifying in Melbourne in 1928.

He showed interest in purchasing a business and after considering some alternative offers, chose that of E.S. Clayton to be his venture.

He took over the pharmacy on October 14, 1933, after arriving in Hay by train.

This was during the time of the Great Depression, and many hours of work were required to earn a few shillings.

The pharmacy was run by himself and a ‘shop boy,’ who was the messenger, cleaner, and shop assistant, all in one.

Trading hours were 9am to 9pm, with an hour off for lunch and tea, Monday to Saturday.

Sunday required opening from 9am to 12 noon, and from 7pm to 9pm.

Half Day holiday was taken Wednesday afternoon but this was used to do any dispensing required at Hay Hospital, on an honorary basis, alternatively with John Clemence, who had recently taken over the pharmacy operated by Hazel Crossley.

Rental of 12 pounds a month was paid, and takings amounted to 25 to 30 pounds a week.

Russell Whitteron was one of the earliest employees, as were Jack Morris and John Wade, and they were followed by Noreen Brown, who worked up to early in the Second World War.

At this stage, most of the business was to do with medicines, and the pharmacist would be mixing and creating things himself in the shop.

There was a small area devoted to cosmetics and perfumes. Photography was a strong element of the business, with developing and printing of films a priority, all completed at the business site, with a fast turnaround.

These developing and printing tasks were conducted by Mr Japp after the day’s trade was completed, with the pharmacy offering an overnight service.

It was said to be quite the tedious task.

The range of goods sold by the pharmacy included toothpastes, shampoos, household remedies, and cures claiming to have magical results. During this time, these kinds of products were primarily sold at pharmacies rather than at supermarkets.

After the war, Ralph Palmer at Rogers Clyde wished to leave Hay, and thus his business was incorporated into Japps.

Many of the older bottles and pieces of equipment, scales, pill machines and more that Japps have collected originated from a mixture of the original pharmacies of Hay, dentists in Hay and dentists in Deniliquin.

In 1955, Mr Japp was able to buy the building, including his shop premises and residence from the Brown family.

Afterwards, the Brown’s saddlery business moved to premises in McGregor Street and the pharmacy was enlarged, taking over the saddlery as office and storeroom and the other half of the cellar.

This was the same year that Allan commenced his apprenticeship under his father’s tutelage.

In 1959, Allan returned to Hay again after leaving for university education, and then renovations to the store were made. Mr Japp Senior and Mrs Japp went for a trip overseas in 1963. The couple returned in time for Allan and Jenis wedding in 1964, and then Mr Japp retired in 1966, tragically becoming ill with lung cancer.

Since then, Allan has operated the business, working with many different pharmacists over this considerable time, and many valued employees.

A savvy business move was Japps opening up an Agro Chemicals division in 1968. This was to address regular stock unavailability, the need to travel, and source produce from other areas.

It was headed by Michael Breen after training with Neville Japp, who was a veterinarian.

In 1969, space was proving to once again become an issue.

The old storeroom was taken over by the pharmacy, and the premises was refitted and modernised, dispensary was moved to the storeroom, where the old loungeroom of the premises was.

The Agrochemical department took over the old kitchen, and a side entrance was then added.

In order to accomplish this, the roof was taken off.

The Agrochemical Department ran successfully for years, being sold by 1980.

Japp’s has unfailingly gone from strength to strength, continually employing locals and doing great works for the community. The pharmacy is one of the cornerstones of Hay’s life, and we would all certainly be lost without it.